Saw mill with apparatus for guiding a board and method for use thereof

Abstract

A saw mill includes a base frame having a front and a rear and being sized and configured to support a log; saw apparatus having a cutting blade and being connected with the base frame for horizontal movement in a cutting stroke from a start position near the front of the base frame to an end position near the rear of the base frame and in a return stroke back to the front of the base frame and being for cutting in a generally horizontal plane a board from the log; power apparatus for powering the saw apparatus; at least one pushback arm connected to the saw apparatus and being sized and configured to engage and eject the board from atop the log during the return stroke; and, a board guide apparatus extending generally forwardly from the saw apparatus and including a crossbar and plurality of fingers connected with the crossbar and positioned to engage and guide the board in a desired path as it is being ejected from the log, each finger including an upper link connected to the crossbar and a lower link hingedly connected with the upper link.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A saw mill, comprising: 
       a base frame having a front and a rear and being sized and configured to support a log;  
       saw means having a cutting blade and being connected with said base frame for horizontal movement in a cutting stroke from a start position near the front of said base frame to an end position near the rear of said base frame and in a return stroke back to the front of said base frame and being for cutting in a generally horizontal plane a board from the log;  
       power means for powering said saw means;  
       at least one pushback arm connected to said saw means and being sized and configured to engage and eject the board from atop the log during the return stroke; and,  
       a board guide apparatus extending generally forwardly from said saw means and including a crossbar and plurality of fingers connected with the crossbar and positioned to engage and guide the board in a desired path as it is being ejected from the log, each finger including an upper link connected to the crossbar and a lower link hingedly connected with the upper link.  
     
     
       2. The saw mill of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of fingers includes  12  fingers spaced along the crossbar. 
     
     
       3. The saw mill of  claim 1  wherein said base frame includes a track and said saw means includes a mast having a lower end connected for sliding movement along the track, said saw means further including a band saw connected for vertical movement along the mast, and wherein the crossbar includes a support arm extending fowardly from the band saw. 
     
     
       4. The saw mill of  claim 3  wherein the support arm includes an inboard arm connected to the band saw and an outboard end hingedly connected to the inboard arm. 
     
     
       5. A method for sawing lumber, comprising the steps of: 
       providing a saw mill including:  
       a base frame having a front and a rear and being sized and configured to support a log,  
       saw means having a continuous cutting blade and being connected with said base frame for horizontal movement in a cutting stroke from a start position near the front of said base frame to an end position near the rear of said base frame and in a return stroke back to the front of said base frame and being for cutting in a generally horizontal plane a board from the log,  
       power means for powering said saw means,  
       at least one pushback arm extending downwardly from said saw means, and wherein each of said at least one pushback arms has a bottom end, and  
       a board guide apparatus extending generally forwardly from said saw means and forwardly of said at least one pushback arm and including a crossbar and plurality of fingers hingedly connected to hang downwardly from the crossbar, each finger including an upper link connected to the crossbar and a lower link hingedly connected with the upper link, and each finger hanging in a rest position to a point lower than the generally horizontal plane of the cutting blade;  
       positioning a log atop said base frame, the log having a forward and a rearward end;  
       moving one of the cutting blade and the log vertically to position the cutting blade at a desired cutting height relative to the forward end of the log;  
       cutting a board by activating said saw means to move the cutting blade through the cutting stroke until the blade clears the rearward end of the log and completely severs the board from the log and until said at least one pushback arm clears the rearward end of the log and board, the board having a rearward end;  
       ejecting the board by activating said saw means to move the cutting blade through the return stroke whereby said at least one pushback arm engages the rearward end of the board and pushes it forwardly and off the log.  
     
     
       6. The method for sawing lumber of  claim 5  wherein said providing a saw mill step includes the saw means including a band saw sized to saw a board from a log having a maximum width and further includes the fingers of the board guide apparatus being spaced through an outer width where there can always be at least one finger hanging along either side of the log. 
     
     
       7. The method for sawing lumber of  claim 6  wherein said providing a saw mill step includes said plurality of fingers including 12 fingers spaced along the crossbar. 
     
     
       8. The method for sawing lumber of  claim 6  wherein said providing a saw mill step includes the base frame including a track and the saw means including a mast having a lower end connected for sliding movement along the track, the band saw being connected for vertical movement along the mast, and wherein the crossbar includes a support arm extending fowardly from the band saw. 
     
     
       9. The method for sawing lumber of  claim 8  wherein said providing a saw mill step includes the support arm including an inboard arm connected to the band saw and an outboard end hingedly connected to the inboard arm.